1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to telecommunication systems and more particularly to a method and system for preserving telephone numbers by eliminating the need for assigning a unique telephone number for each and every telephone line in service.
2. Background of the Invention
The expansion of telecommunications services and equipment such as telephones, fax machines, pagers, cellular telephones, and modems, has resulted in a rapid growth in the demand for telephone numbers. In addition, the Internet has created a further demand for an even greater number of telephone numbers.
In the United States alone, new telephone numbers are increasing at a rate 15 of about 12% per year, while the population is growing at a rate of only about 4%. This phenomenon is due in part to many subscribers often having multiple telephone numbers. For example, one person could well have as many as six telephone numbers: a first number for a home telephone, a second number for a home fax machine, a third number for an office telephone, a fourth number for an office fax machine, a fifth number for a cellular telephone, and a sixth number for a pager. A seventh number might be necessary if he or she chooses to have dedicated Internet access. In addition to the above-described personal demand for telephone numbers, certain commercial entities, such as telemarketers, are also adding more telephone numbers for their businesses.
Under the current infrastructure of United States telecommunication systems, a telephone number is required for every telephone line in service. A person with, e.g., six telephone lines would therefore have six telephone numbers. A telemarketing company with 50 telephone lines may have 50 telephone numbers.
The assignment of a specific telephone number to a specific telephone line is necessary because the telephone number serves as an “address” for the corresponding telephone line. The telephone number also identifies the caller as the person to whom the telephone company would charge the associated telecommnunication services.
The ten-digit telephone number system of the United States contains three main components: the first three digits are the “area code,” the next three digits are the “exchange code,” and the remaining four digits specify a particular telephone line. The area code identifies the general geographical areas of the United States. For example, all telephone lines with the “202” area code are located physically in Washington, D.C. Similarly, all telephone numbers with the “404” area code are physically located in the Atlanta area of Georgia. Within each area code, there are multiple exchange codes. For example, within the geographical boundaries served by the “404” area code, there are many active exchange codes including, e.g., “659,” “249,” “628,” “444,” and “680.” Also within each area code, there is one or more exchange codes that have been reserved from being issued to subscribers. In the “404” area code region, for example, reserved exchange code “203” is not available for assignment of telephone numbers. If this reserved exchange code were to be made available for telephone number assignment, then up to 10,000 additional telephone numbers would be available for telephone line subscribers located within the “404” area code region. These telephone numbers would range sequentially from “404-203-0000” to “404-203-9999.”
The conventional solution to satisfy the demand for even more telephone numbers (as thousands of telephone lines are being put to service every day) is to add new area codes. Each new area code adds 1,000 additional exchange codes. As explained above, each additional exchange code adds 10,000 telephone numbers. As a result, the addition of one new area code provides 10,000,000 additional telephone numbers. This conventional solution, however, has many disadvantages. For example, the introduction of multiple area codes in a single city requires complex operation overhead, and could result in consumer confusion, as well as result in additional expenses to the telephone company. Furthermore, we could eventually run out of the three-digit area codes which would then create the need for creating four-digit or larger area codes.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an advanced intelligent network structure. Advanced intelligent network structures are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,701,301, which is hereby incorporated by reference. In the example shown in this schematic diagram, Subscriber A has a regular telephone line 10 that is capable of two-way communications, namely, initiating and receiving communications. Regular telephone line 10 has been assigned a unique telephone number, e.g., “404-777-1000.” Subscriber B of regular telephone line 20 has been issued a different unique telephone number, e.g., “404.888-2000.” These subscriber data, along with other subscriber data such as their billing rates and mailing addresses, are contained in customer record database 12. Customer record database 12 can easily update service management system (SMS) 13 to enable changes in service control point (SCP) 14a's data. In a preferred embodiment, telephone line 10 also has either an off-hook immediate or an off-hook delay trigger assigned to it.
When Subscriber A dials “404-888-2000” using a telecommunication device 1 such as a telephone that is connected to regular telephone line 10, a service switching point (SSP) 11 is triggered via, e.g., an off-hook immediate trigger, to send query 17 to a service control point 14a via a signaling transfer point (STP) 15 of the SS7 signaling system provided with the advanced intelligent network. Query 17 contains information such as Subscriber A's unique telephone number “404-777-1000” (calling party ID number) and the recipient's unique telephone number “404-888-2000” (dialed number) as well as the originating point code of service switching point 11, e.g., “252-112-001.” In essence, query 17 is a question from service switching point 11 asking service control point 14a how to process the telephone call. When service control point 14a receives query 17, it consults database (DB) 14b that in turns recognizes “404-777-1000.” As a result, service control point 14a responds to query 17 with instruction 18 directing service switching point 11 to route the call to Subscriber B. Normal processing of the call from Subscriber A to Subscriber B would require that Subscriber A's telephone number be used for billing purposes and be recorded at SSP 11, along with Subscriber B's telephone number as the destination address. In addition, either subscriber may establish communication with Internet service provider (ISP) 16 or Internet service provider 26 by dialing “404-123-4567” or “404-765-4321,” the unique telephone numbers of. Internet service provider 16 and Internet service provider 26, respectively.
In summary, routing a call requires a unique destination address and an originating billing information to properly complete the call.